Buying a House

What happens to real estate when the government is shut down? Fannie Mae released temporary guidelines for loan processors to assist federal workers and contractors during the government shutdown. Homebuyers, lenders and real estate agents might experience closing delays as the U.S. partial government shutdown continues. And, there’s nothing that increases personal and financial stress [...]

What you need to know about buying a home in 2019. From low housing inventory to mortgage rate hikes, let these four tips be your guide. In the twenty-five years or so that we’ve been writing this column, we’ve started each new year with a look back at the year that was (in this case, [...]

Housing forecast highlights you need to know. Whether you’re buying a home, selling a home, or investing in real estate here’s what you need to know about the housing market in 2019. It’s that time of year again. In addition to unwrapping packages and stuffing yourself with sweets, real estate industry observers have been at [...]

Real estate challenges and opportunities in the New Year. Whether you’re buying a home, selling a home, or investing in real estate here’s what you need to know about the housing market in 2019. As we start 2019, there are some important changes that you need to know about, starting with the increased loan limits [...]

How do you navigate new rental rules from your condo association and is it possible to be grandfathered into the old rules? Q: We are buying a vacation condo which we plan to use in the winter months, but also hoped to rent it in other months. We just learned that the condo association has [...]

Where is the safest city in America? On the east coast, in a smaller metropolitan area with lower home prices, a boon for home buyers and investors. After comparing more than 180 cities across 39 key indicators of safety (like assaults per capita and road quality), WalletHub determined that Columbia, MD is the safest city [...]

What can you do when the seller won’t leave the new home that you’ve already closed on? First, take a look at the closing documents, then call your lawyer. Q: We just closed on a house but the sellers have not vacated the property on our agreed terms. They were supposed to be completely out [...]

When’s the best time to buy a house? ATTOM Data Solutions analyzed over 18 million single-family home and condo sales over the past 5 years for the answer. If you plan to close on a home purchase soon, you’re in luck! Seven of the 10 best days to buy a house are in December. The [...]

What you need to know about student loans and mortgage pre-approval. Your loans and credit history play a large role in how much you’ll be approved for. Q: I have been enjoying your videos on YouTube and had a question about a pre-approval. My wife and I intend to try and get pre-approved for a [...]

Speeding up the short sale process: Is it possible? The answer depends on the lender, the seller, and the real estate market. Q: I’ve been reading a lot of your columns about short sales. Why do short sales take so long to complete? How can I make the short sale process go faster? A: Short [...]